During the summer holidays, four children befriend one another as they develop psychic abilities that prove to be anything but innocent.
Slow-burn, atmospheric, and psychologically brutal. I’m not sure how much the children knew about what they were doing in the individual scenes or if they are now allowed to watch the final cut, but it would be interesting to find out. As in previous cases, though, chances are that they don’t, and they find out when they are old enough to watch it themselves and make sense of it. Remember, to them, what they do is just instructions that, without having the big picture, it may as well be just fun. For us, though, the adult audience… is soul-wrenching.
The premise is rather simple: Kids are associated with innocence, yeah? And even though you might expect to see that here, you will not! These kids do not represent innocence. Not all of them, anyway. If you are a horror fan, it cannot not remind you of films such as The Village of the Damned (1960) or Children of the Corn (1984). But it’s neither. The connection between the children starts as mysterious, fun and sweet but gradually escalates to a dark, sinister, and contradicting connection of unidentified origins.
Very well written, shot, edited, and acted! Eskil Vogt’s The Innocents is definitely worth your attention. Pay attention to the little details: Pessi Levanto’s soundtrack, how his music is used and when it is used. Sturla Brandth Grøvlen’s cinematography, from the long shots (the ominous, invisible force…) to the kids’ close-ups (… affecting them). Extra attention also to Jens Christian Fodstad’s editing and how beautifully the narrative visually flows. All the kids do a tremendous job in front of the camera and get a lengthy round of applause. It is Alva Brynsmo Ramstad (Anna) who is tasked with the hardest role, and her performance is stellar! I could not tell at first if she was acting. Hats off to all the kids!
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Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!
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